Ham presser



April 12 1927 G, w. scHoLTEN HAM PRESSE R Filed Aug. 27, 1925 2 Shee'tS-Sheeb l alg-9.1.

April 12 1927.

G. W. SCHOLTEN HAM PRES SER 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27

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INVENTOR GA SchoZZ'en WITNESSES JJ a. L 6&1,

BY ggf?,

ATTORNEYS Patented UNITED sTATi-:s

GEORGE W. SGHOL'LEN,L HUSCATINE, IOWA.

HAM PRESSE-IKR.

Application tiled August 27, 1925. Serial No. 52,877.

This invention relates to ham pressers and i cookers and has for an important object the provision of simple means whereby a piece of ham may be conveniently inserted into a two-part container, and compressed for subsequentcooking, the device being provided with means whereby the pressure on the ham may be maintained as long as desired and quickly released for the removal of the ham.

A further and equally important object of the invention is to provide a ham press and cooker in which the container and the various parts thereof may be easily disconnected from the press for the placin of the container in a larger vessel for coo ing or for the purpose of cleaning the container.

Another object is to provide a ham press which is of highly simplified construction,

' durable in use and which by reason of the arrangement employed will not injure the ham or require extensive trimming thereof preparatory tothe introduction of the ham into the container in which it is cooked:

Other objects and advantages will .be apparent during the course of the following description. A

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the 1inproved ham presser and cooker.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, parts being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through the container and the presser head.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure- 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3. A

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates a base or attaching plate adapted to be secured to a wall or any other place foundl convenient. Figure 3 well illustrates that the base member 5 is provided with a horizontal bracket or shell 6 having a seat 7 provided with a concaved upper surface to snugly receive and center the convex lower end 8 of the ham container which consists principally of a ypair of semi-circular sections 9 hinged as indicated at 10. At this point it might be stated that the sections 9 need not be of semi-circular formation. They may be of U-shaped formation so cooked hams are. The container may be of any shape .in cross section without in any zvay departing from the spirit of the invenion.

u It will be seen that the semi-circular sections 9 are joined and adapted to be moved to open positions to freely receive a ham and when closed as shown in Figure 5 may be locked together bymeans of a locking strap l2 hingedly connected to one of the sections as shown at 14 and having a locking lever and handle 15 designed to be extended over a hook 16. When the combined handle and lever 15 is swung beyond center as shown in Figure 5 the sections will be securely held in closed position. of handle may be employed, it being suiii cient that the locking device by which the sections are held in closed position are strong enough to withstand the pressure incident to the pressing operation. Of course the sections 9 are lapped at suitable intervals as shown in Figure 1.

The container detachably receives a head contact member 20 more or less similar in formation to the end 8 of the container and as shown in Figure 5 the contact head is provided with crossed straps 22, the terminal portions of which extend about and grip the lowermost convolution of a' coiled spring 23. The upper portion of the coiled spring is engaged by the crossed straps 25 of a diskshaped abutment 26, the abutment being engaged by the plunger or ram 28 on the end of a piston rod 29. It is believed to be 0bvious with reference to Figures l and 2 that the rod 29 is at the lower endy of a piston 30 within a steam or air cylinder 32. Any suit- .able form of press for applying `pressure to the ram 28 may be employed.- The fluid under pressure may be supplied to opposite sides of the piston 30 by valves 31 and 32, However, this feature forms no art of the invention and is well within t e skill of those engaged in the art to provide any suitable form of press, a detailed description is believed to be unnecessary. However, it might be stated that the cylinder 32 is mounted on a bracket 33 and the bracket 33 is connected to the bracket 6 by means of suitably stout stay bolts 34, the stay bolts also acting as 'a guiding means for the container for the ham.

In the operation of the improved ham press and cooker, it is merely necessary to first open the container and introduce the ham to be pressed and cooked therein. As previously stated, it is not necessary to first trim the ham, but the ham may be introducedinto the container without this trimming and the container subsequently locked in closed position by means of the locking devices as shown in Figure 5. This closing of the container may ta e place either before or after the application of the container to the shelf 6. When the container is applied to the shelf it is centered by the curved lower end 8 which rests on the concaved seat 7 so that the container is in position to receive the ram 28 and a portion of the iston 29. When the pressure is applied to t e ram 28 the contact head 20 will be moved downwardly into pressure engagement with the ham so as to give it the desired outline. Should the pressure be too great the spring will yield and thehead 20 Will cease to advance. As' the member 26 advances it is engaged by the dog 40 on the inner side ofleaf spring carriers 41. The inner ends of the dogs 26 are `beveled so as to allow the member 26 to slide easily by. However, the members 40 will preventthe accidental return of the head 26 and will lock the same in this advanced position. When .it is desired to release the pressure the upper ortions of the leaf springs may be engage by suitable means and moved outwardly so as to disengage the dog 40 from the member 26. Particular attention is directed to the fact that the spring 23 will provide for reasonable ex ansion or contraction of the ham and wil maintain the same under pressure as long as desired. When the ham is finally cooked it will remain in the given shape without having been previously sewed and will have the fine texture that well cooked ham usually has. When it is desired to remove the container from the bracket 6 paratory to the cooking of the ham it is from the container.

merely necessary to retract the rains 28 and lift the container off the seat 7 whereupon the container is `free. After the cooking operation the container may be cleaned since all of the parts can be readily disconnected and in this respect the device is es ecially valuable.

One of t e principal features 'of the invention is the ease with which the hams may be removed from the container subsequent to the cooking operation.' `When the containers are opened by the release of the levers 15 the ham will remain in' a pressed state and may therefore be easily withdrawn Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A ham press comprising a container,`a i

ham contact head within saidl container, a spring having its lower end engaging the ham contact head, straps fixed to the ham contact head and engaging the lowest con-y volution of the spring to secure the lowen end of the spring to the lham contact head, a plunger contact head engaged with the upper end of the spring, and straps fixed to the plunger contact head and engaging the uppermost convolutions of the spring to secure' the upper end of the spring to the plunger contact head.

2. A press comprising a container, a pressure head movable in said container, a plunger head also movable in said container, a spring arranged between said heads, leaf springs secured at their lower ends to the outer face of said container with their body vportions springing toward the container, a

plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending pawls carried by said leaf springs and extending into the container through the side walls thereof inthe path of said plunger head whereby said head is locked in adjusted position.

GEORGE W. soHoLTEN. 

